- Owner
- Office Manager
- Effective date
- September 15, 2026
- Review cycle
- Every 12 months
1.Purpose
To book business travel that is approved, within policy and budget, and to give travelers a clear itinerary and support if plans change while they are away.
2.Scope
Applies to employee air, rail, hotel and ground transportation booked for company business. Post-trip expense reimbursement is covered in the separate expense reimbursement SOP.
Definitions
- Travel policy
- The company's rules on approved booking classes, preferred vendors and spending limits for business travel.
- Itinerary
- The document listing a traveler's confirmed flights, hotel, ground transport and key contact numbers for a trip.
3.Responsibilities
- Travel Coordinator
- Books flights, hotels and ground transport, issues itineraries and handles changes.
- Employee
- Submits the travel request, follows travel policy, and confirms the itinerary meets their needs.
- Department Manager
- Approves travel requests and budget for their team.
- Office Manager
- Maintains the travel policy and preferred vendor list and supports emergencies.
RACI matrix
| Activity | Travel Coordinator | Employee | Department Manager | Office Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submit a travel request | I | R/A | C | - |
| Approve travel and budget | I | - | R/A | C |
| Book travel and issue itinerary | R/A | C | I | - |
| Handle changes and cancellations | R/A | C | I | - |
| Support travel emergencies | R | C | I | A |
R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed
4.Materials and PPE
Materials, tools and systems
- →Travel request form
- →Company travel policy
- →Preferred airline, hotel and car rental accounts
- →Corporate travel card program
- →Itinerary template
- →Emergency travel assistance contact
5.Procedure
- 5.1
Submit the travel request
EmployeeThe employee submits a travel request with the business purpose, destination, dates and any preferences, at least the number of days ahead required by the travel policy.
- 5.2
Approve the trip and budget
Department ManagerThe department manager reviews the business purpose and estimated cost and approves or declines the trip before any booking is made.
Checkpoint: No booking is made until the department manager's approval is recorded on the request.
- 5.3
Check travel policy and preferred vendors
Travel CoordinatorThe travel coordinator checks the approved request against the travel policy for booking class, spending limits and preferred airlines, hotels and car rental vendors.
- 5.4
Book flights and ground transportation
Travel CoordinatorThe travel coordinator books flights and any ground transportation using the preferred vendors and the company's travel accounts, matching the traveler's approved dates and preferences.
- 5.5
Book hotel accommodations
Travel CoordinatorThe travel coordinator books hotel accommodations within the policy's nightly rate limit, choosing a location convenient to the business purpose of the trip.
- 5.6
Arrange travel documents if needed
Travel CoordinatorFor international travel, the travel coordinator confirms the employee's passport is valid for the trip and advises on any visa or entry requirements well ahead of departure.
Warning: International bookings should not be finalized until passport validity has been confirmed.
- 5.7
Issue the itinerary
Travel CoordinatorThe travel coordinator sends the traveler a complete itinerary with confirmation numbers, check-in times and key contact numbers, at least a few days before departure.
- 5.8
Confirm corporate card or advance
Travel CoordinatorThe travel coordinator confirms the employee has an active corporate travel card or, where used, arranges a cash advance for expenses not covered by direct billing.
- 5.9
Handle changes to confirmed travel
Travel CoordinatorWhen trip dates or details change, the employee notifies the travel coordinator as soon as possible, who rebooks or cancels the affected reservations and reissues the itinerary.
- 5.10
Support a travel emergency
Office ManagerIf a traveler faces a missed connection, illness or other emergency, the travel coordinator or office manager works with the traveler and the emergency travel assistance line to rebook and support them.
- 5.11
Confirm trip completion
Travel CoordinatorAfter the trip, the travel coordinator confirms the traveler returned as scheduled and closes out the booking record, noting any changes made during the trip.
- 5.12
Hand off for expense reimbursement
Travel CoordinatorThe travel coordinator reminds the employee to submit any out-of-pocket expenses through the expense reimbursement process, since travel booking and reimbursement are handled separately.
6.Quality checks
- →No trip is booked before department manager approval is on record.
- →All bookings follow the current travel policy for class and spending limits.
- →International itineraries include a confirmed passport validity check.
- →Every traveler receives a complete itinerary before departure.
7.Records
- →Approved travel request
- →Booking confirmations and itinerary
- →Corporate card or advance documentation
- →Change and cancellation notes
8.KPIs
- →Average booking cost against policy benchmarks
- →Percentage of trips booked within the requested lead time
- →Number of last-minute changes or cancellations per quarter
9.Common mistakes
- →Booking travel before the trip is approved.
- →Ignoring preferred vendor agreements and booking directly at a higher cost.
- →Not checking passport validity early enough for international trips.
- →Sending an itinerary too close to departure for the traveler to review it.
10.Revision history
| Revision | Date | Description | Reviewed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | September 15, 2026 | Initial release | Alexa Uskova |
This is a template. Adapt it to your organization, equipment and local regulations before use.
